Refrigerator cabinet shelf



Patenta& Aug. 12, 1952 UNITED STATE'S' PATENT oFFc-a I i %06,806 si i ie i REFRIGERATOR CABINET SHEL Whitney Giifard, Detroit, Mich., assignorto Nash-Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit, Mich., i a eorporation ofMaryland e Application February 15, 1947,`S erial No. 7 28,'74,9

iclaims.

, e 1 This nvention relates generally to refrigerating apparatusand'more particularly to' refrigerator cabinet shelves." j

It, is an objectof the present invention to provide for refrigeratorcabinets, an improved perforated' shelf which is rigid and inexpensiveto manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to' provide a refrigerator cabinetshelf which may be readily lifted out of the cabinet, yet one which isfirmly supported therein against accidental movement without need ofattaching means.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of animproved refrigerator cabinet shelf for supporting a fresh Vegetablecontainer. `Further objects and advantages of the present invention willbe apparent from the following description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, wherein a prefer-red form of the presentinvention is clearly shown.

' Fig. 1 is a front elev'ational View of a refrigerator cabinet,embodying 'features of my invention; v

'Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal cross sectional View of the cabinet,taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of a shelf of the cabinet, taken alongline 3-3 of Figure 2;

Fig. -4 is an enlarged, ra'gmentary sectional View of the refrigeratorcabinet, taken along the line 4--4 of Figure 2;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Figure 2 of a modied construction of shelffor the cabinet;

Fig, 6, is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view of therefrigerator-cabinet and modified shelf, taken along the line '6-6 ofFigure 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross sectional View of the cabinet and modifiedshelf, taken along the line l-l of Figura 5;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged ragmentary sectional view of the shelf, takenalong the line 8-8 of i ura 6; and

Fig. 9 is a Vertical cross sectional View, taken along the line 9-9 ofFigure 5.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the refrigeratorcabinet shown comprises in general, an outer metal casing 20 and a metalliner 2-2. Between the casing 20 and the liner 22, heat insulation 24 isprovided which may be cork, or any other suitable type of heatinsulation. The inner liner 22 together with an access door 23 defines acooling, food storage compart ment 26 including a top wall 28, rear wall30 'and opposite side walls 32. A-cooling element or evaporator 34isproyided in the food storage compartment 26 and, as shown, may beSuspended ironi the cabinet top wall 28 or the evaporator 34 may bearranged and supported in any other suitable manner in the cabinet.

In the food storage compartment 26 beneath comprising, a lower shelf 36and upper, spaced shelves 38 for supporting articles to be refrigerated.The lower shelf 36 and the upper shelves 38 are of general rectanguiarshape extending substantially to the liner 22 of the cabinet and h tothe inner side of the 'access door 23. The upper shelves 38, may be andpreferably are al'ke. The 'lower shelf 36, in addition to supportingarticles to be refrigerated on its upper surface, also supports a freshVegetable container 40 suspended therebeneath on spaed hangers orslideways 42. These slideways 42 are secured to the shelf 36, extendingbetween the access door 23 and rear wall 38 of the cabinet. Preferably,the shelves 36 and 38 are made of sheet metal 'material for good heatconductivity and to make inexpensive, light weight shelves, -I prefer touse aluminum. As shown, the shelves 36 and 38 ;are each provided withdownturned, reinforcng flanges around their peripheries comprising, afront edge flange 44, side edge flanges 46 and a rear edge `flange 48.The .front edge flange 44 of each of the shelves is preferablyrounded'to reduce obstruction to the placing of articles on or'beneaththe shelves. At their rear edges the shelves 36 and 38 'are eachinwardly offset, asat 49, to provide for circulation of air between therear wall liner and the shelves.

In order to stiffen the sheet metal shelf 35, 'I provide it with avplurality of spaced elongated ribs .or corrugations 50 extendingwidthwise of the shelf. These ribs 50 are in substantially parallelrelationship, spaced substantially over the entire area of theshelfbetween oppositeside edges thereof. In addition to stifiening the-sheetmetal shelf, the ribs 50 present a reduced supporting surface forarticles which may be sli'd thereon with reduced friction. The shelf'36is perforated, as at 52, to allow circulating air to flow from oneside thereof to the otherythis shell being perforated only in 'theportion jthereof which is laterally disposed of thefresh Vegetablecontainer 40, as shown. The perforations 52.'are preferably closelyspaced, elongated apertures extending widthwise of the shell",terminatingat their opposite ends preferably slightly inwardly fromrespective opposite ends of the, ribs 50. Thes elongated apertures 52are alternately arranged with respect to a number of the ribsat theopposite side of the shelf from the Vegetable container 40. Whenperforating the shel f, 'the material around the elongated apertures 52is pressed downwardly forming a continuous reinv forcing fiange 54around each of the elongated apertures 52 on the underside or others'ideof the shelf from the ribs 50. The portion of the i shelf 36immediately overlying the Vegetable container 40 is imperforate servingas a cover therefor.

ach of the shelves 36, 36 is supported at the rear thereof on a pair ofhorizontally spaced, supporting members or pins 60 and is supported atits sides on a pair of similar. supporting members or pins 62. Thesepins 60, 62 are Secured to the cabinet liner 22, extending slightlybeyond the inner surface thereof to receive the shelves. Outwardly ofthe oiTset 49 in the rear edge flanges 48 of each of the shelves 36, 38is provided a pair of holes 58 respectively adjacent each side edge ofthe shelves for respectively receiving a pair of the supporting pins 66carried by the rear wall iiner. These holes 58 are made sufiicientlylarge and may be horizontally elongated to easily locate and fit overthe pins 69.

The Vegetable container slideway 42 nearest one side edge of the shelf36 rests at its lower edge ontthe adjacent supporting pin 62 carried bythe adjacent side Wall liner. Front and rear movement of the shelf isrestrained when it is resting on the supporting pins 62, by a stop 41,preferably a downwardly directed extended portion of the outer slideway,located to engage rearwardly of or behind the pin 62. In order to have ashelf which may be readily removed by lifting it from the cabinet andyet one which firmly rests on the pins 60, 62 in the cabnet, I providean inwardly directed notch or recess 64 in the shelf side flangefarthest removed from the Vegetable container to receive the adjacentsupporting pin 62. This recess 64 is provided by pressing in a portionof the shelf side flange 46 so that. it faces or extends inwardly anddownwardly at an angle so as to effect a wedging action with the end ofthe suporting pin 46.

This angled recess 64 not only provides for' firmly supporting the shelf36 so that it will not be jarred from side to side, but also restrainssliding movement of the shelf forwardly and rearwardly in the cabinet.As a result, to remove the shelf 36 it is first necessary to raise thefront edge thereof until the stop 41 and notch 64 disen gage from orWill clear the pins 62, after which the shelf is free to be liftedorwardly out of the cabinet.-

Referring now to the shelves 38, these shelves are similar to the lowershelf 35 and therefore like parts are designated by like numerals toavoid unnecessary repetition description. These upper shelves 38 differfrom the lower shelf 36 t in that the elongated apertures 52 are spacedentirely across its width to effect good circulation of air throughoutthe region of the food compartment above the fresh Vegetable container.As shown, the elongated apertures 52 and the ribs 56' are alternatelyarranged. Further the shelves 38 have the Wedge type recesses 64 in bothside flanges 46 thereof to engage on the supporting pins 62 in the linersides of the cabinet'. i

From the foregoing description, it will be noted that I have providedimproved refrigerator shelves which are rigid although of light Weightperforated construction. It will be further noted that I have providedshelves which can be readily lifted out`of the cabinet yet seat firmlytherein against accidental movement.

Although'preferred and modified forms have been illustrated, anddescribed in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat various other modifications may be made therein without *departingfrom the spirit of the invention or fromthe scope of the appendedclaims. :claim:

1. A shelf for mounting on a support compris'- ing, a plate member, arecess in an edge of said plate member to receive a supporting member,and an inwardly and downwardly inclined seat within said recess to reston the supporting member.

2. A removable shelf for support on a plurality of supports comprising,a plate member having one edge for support unattachedly on one of thesupports, a recess in an opposite edge of said plate member to receive asecond of the supports, and an inclined seat on said plate member withinsaid recess and inclined downwardly and inwardly to seat on the secondof the supports with a wedging action.

3. A removable rectangular shelf for support on a pair of horizontallyspaced forwardly projecting pins on a storage compartment rear' wall andfor support on a laterally extending pin on each of opposite side wallsof the compartment, comprising a sheet metal member having downturnedrear and side fianges, a pair of horizontaliy spaced apertures in saidrear flange to receive loosely and respectively the pins on thecompartment rear wall, said apertures being sufficiently larger than therear wall pins so that they may fit easily thereon, a downwardly racingrecess in one of said side fianges to receive one of the side wall pins,and an inclined seat formed out of said one flange in said recessinclined inwardly and downwardly from said one flange to rest on thesaid one side wall pin.

4. A rectangular shelf for support on a pair of horizontally spacedforwardly projecting pins on a storage compartment rear wall and forsupport on a laterally projecting pinon each of opposite-side walls ofthe compartment, comprising, a sheet metal member having downturned rearand side fianges, a pair of horizontally spaced apertures in said rearflange to receive loosely and respectively the pins on the compartmentrear wall, said apertures beingsuficiently larger than the rear wallpins so that they may fit easily thereon, a downwardly facing recess inone of said side fianges to receive one of the side Wall pins, aninclined seat formed out of said one flange in said recess and inclinedinwardly and downwardly to rest with a wedging action on the said oneside wall pin, a container slideway Secured to the other of said sidewall flanges, and a depending stop on said slideway below said recess toengage behind the other of said side wall pins.

WHITNEY GIFFARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenoes are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Mar. 5, 1928

